Drying-machine.



T. ALLSOP &*W. W. SIBSON.

DRYING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 25, 1907.

Patented ot.20,19o8.'

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

TQALLSOP &*W. W. SIBSON.

` DRYING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 25, 1907.

901,769. Patented oct. 20,1908.

3 SEEBTB-SHEET k2.

T. ALLSOP & W. W. SIBSON.

' DRYING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 25, 1907..

wm .um WH 0H Mw m a, D..

5.. om 6. 7, 1 O, 9

l To all 'u1-hom it may concern:

i' L UNITEDV sTATEs PATENT oiriuoEfA TH'oMAs ALLsoP ANI) WALTER w. sIBsoN, oF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, AssIGNoRs TO THE PHILADELPHIA DRYING MACHINERY COMPANY, YANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSEILVANIA.

OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYL- Dianne-MACHINE.'

Specification of Letten Patent.

Patented Oct. 20, 1908.

Application led September 25, 1907. Serial No. 894,480.

Be it known that We, THOMAS ALLsoP and WALTER W. SIBsoN, citizens of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Penn-y sylvania, have invejnted certain new and useful Impovements in Drying-Machines; and

ereby declare the followingto be`a full, clear, and exact` description of the invention, such as will enable others'skilled in the art to which it 'appertains to make and us'e the saine. t

' This invention relates to improvements in dr ing machines, and more particularly has reference to machinesv for drying bathing suits.l l

The present invention primarily. has for its l object the provision of a machine that is automatic in its operation, whereby the bathing suits after being introduced to the machine lwill traverse the dr ing chamber and return to the feed end otjthe' machine, at which point the suits willr be automatically discharged from` the machine, thus dispensing with` manualV labor for effecting such discharge,'and`,reducing to a minimum the number of'attendants for aswell as the "expense of operatin the machine.

.A furt :erobj ect of the resent invention is to provide a machine of ythe character stated the construction of which is such that its operation may be accomplished with thegreatest economy'in the use of the heating medium ein loyed, and by which the suits, at the initia stage of transit through the machine, and therefore while thel suits are in their most moist condition, will be subjected to a greater degree of heat than during the latter'stages of their travel through'the Ina-` chine.

With these eneral objects in view',.and others that a pear as the nature ofthe improvements is etter understood, the invention consistssubstantially in the novel construction, combination, and arrangement described invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof, a' portion of the top of the machine being removed, and the upper stretch of the conveyor beingalso brokenaway. Fig. 3 is a detail erspective view ofone of the at-f tachin'g. evices for connecting the slats to the conveyer chains, and illustrating the manner of such connection. Fig. 6 is a detail fragmentar elevation illustrating the clutch employe in connection with the drivin mechanism for the conveyer.

eferring in detail to'the drawings, the numeral 1 designates the casing of the hereindescribed machine, which casing is divided through the medium of a longitudinally-extendin partition 2 into a heating chamber and a r ing chamber 4.

That the heating of the air may be accomplished with'the greatest economy, and to enable thesuits, .at the initial stage of transit throu hthemachine, bein subjected to a greater egree of heat than uring the later stages of such transit, the heatingicoils are arranged preferably in primary and secondary sets 6 and7, respectively, the primary coils 6 bein 'divided into upper and lower banks 8 and 9, While the secondary coils are grouped ina single bank, which latter, however,preferably comprises a larger number than either of the banks of the primary set, but not as great as the combined number of coils in the two banks of the primary set. The sets of coils 6 and 7 Aare merely shown in conventional form, the arrangement described being perfectly obvious tO those skilled in the art. It will thus be seen that there is greater radiation in the primary set of coils thanin the secondary set, and inview of the fact that the bathing suits have their greatest `de ee of moisture in passin the primary coi it is manifest that throng the drying action of said coils the suits will not require as high a degree of heat when passing the secondary coils, Sdthat the machine Wil The latter is pro-l --vided with a slatted Hoor 5 that is raisedv Fig. 5isg y be operatedmuch more economically than were the respective sets of coils capable of giving off the same amount of radiation..

It is preferred that the heating coils shall be fed with steam, and to this end'a steam main 10 is em loyed. This latter is rovided with a depen ent branch 11 control ed by a suitable valve 12, which branch supplied the upper and lower banks 8 and 9 with the necessary steam, and these vbanks are in -turn tappedby a-drip pipe 13 to take off the water of condensation. \A branch 14 also leads from the main `10, which branch Aconnects withl the secondary coils 7, the branch being controlled by a suitable valve 15, and these secondary coils are likewise tapped by a drip pipe^16 for letting off the water of condensation therefrom.

It is, of course, necessary that the air shall be circulated from the heatino' chamber 3 to the drying chamber 4, and to the accomplishment of this end the partition 2- is pierced at suitable points throughout its length, and preferably adjacent to the upper edge therel of, with a seriesvof openings 17p, each of said openings havingv inserted therein a fan 18, which fans are carried by suitable shafts 19, and saidfans arev arranged to blow into the drying chamber 4,'thus creating a suction within the heating chamber 3, whereby the air is drawn from the bottom of the drying chamber 4, throu h the slatted floor thereof, into the heating c amber, and over the heating coils, whence the air is forced through the olpenings 17 and upon the bathing suits in t e drying chamber, as will presently appearl In thisv coimection it is to be observed that the ends`of the shafts 19 are journaled in` suitable bearings 20, which bearings are arranged at the exterior of the casin 1, and by this arrangement (it is obvious t at the bearings are not subjected to the high temperature of the air within the casing, vand 'ence' liability of fire isreduced to a minimum. The bearings for the ends of the shafts that project through the heating ,ch-amber are carried by the outer wall of that chamber, as clearly seen in Figs. Land 2, and in order that the bearings at the other ends of said. shafts may be at the exterior ofthe cas' ing, as described, the roof of the casing 1 ad- 'acentt the 'partition 2 is provided with an inclined deck 21, as clearly; seen in Figu3,

air within the casing from ecomng too satwhich deck also serves vthe purpose of a deflector forvdirecting the blast 'from the fans 18 in afdownwardl direction upon thesuits inthedryin'gcham er4. .s

An exhaust fan 22 is also rovided to drawi out a sufficient quantity of t e moist air froml the-casing 1, and to thereb prevent the hot uratedwith moisture, andthe size of this fan is proportioned tothe size of the fans 18 for accomplishing this purpose without interfering with the proper circulation of the hotair the medium of which he shafts of all of t ie Within the casing.4 The fan 22' is carried by a shaft 23 that is mounted in suitable bearings 24, and these bearin s are likewise arran ed at the exterior of t e casing 1`.

or driving the respective fans asuitable motor 25 is employed, said motor beiiw pref. erably mounted upon the casing 1 and belted .to a jack shaft 26 mounted at a point upon the casing 1 intermediate the motor 25 and the shaft of the fan 18 that is most remote from. said motor.- The jack shaft 26 is, in turn, belted to the shaft of the fan just referred to, and the shaft of each of the fans 18 is provided with a pair. of 'pulleys 27 through fans 18 are belted in series, and simultaneously operated from the jack shaft 26.

For causing the bathing suits to travel throu `h Ithe drying chamber 4 said chamber is provided with an endless conve er 28.

sprocket chains 29 to which are connected a multiplicity of transversely-extending slats 30. Fhese slats are preferably in the form of angle-irons, and each of the latter is pro vided at its ends with attaching clips 31 through the medium ofwhich the respective slats are'held in engagement with certain links of the sprocket chains 29. The chains 29 travel overa series of sprocket wheels 32 arran ed at the front and rear ends of the machine, andsaid wheels are journaled in proximity to an entrance opening 33 andan exit opening 34 arranged, respectively, in the front and ,rear ends of the machine. At the upper rear portion of thecasing 1 are also arrangedisprocket wheels 34 overvwhich they chains 2'9 also ass, andffrom which s rocket wheels the c ains`29 are directed vrto t e forward end ofthemachine,4 atj'which point they ass over Nadditional sprocket wheels 35, he wheels 35 are journaled in vthe upper portion of a sup orting frame 36,

and project in advance of t e entrance openstretch of the conveyerkwill overhang the forward end ofthe easing."-The sprocket wheels 35 are 'carriedby a transversel extending shaft 37, and `upon one end o said shaft is mounted a sprocket wheelt38 over which passes a drive chain 39 that in turn passes over av sprocket wheel 40 carried by a counter-shaft 41 thatis journaled upon the forwardendof the casing 1, preferably at the side thereoffwhereinthe heating chamber 3 carried by a.vertically-disp'osed shaft 44, and i the upper end of said, shaft 44 engages, throughthe medium'of suitable worm gearmounted a conel pulley 47. he pulley 47 is alined with a reversely-arran ed cone pulley 48 that is mounted u 0,11 t e extremity of the vjack shaft 26, an Abelted thereto in 130 This conveyer comprises a plura ity 'of is located. 4This shaft 41 has mounted thereon a Worm wheel 42 engaged by a worm 43 T ing 45, a Acounter-shaft `46 u on which is order that the shaft 46 may be Operated by the jack shaft 26. --It is sometimes desirable that the travel of the conveyer 28 may be stopped while the fans 18 continue to oper- 5 ate, and to this end a clutch 49 is provided in conjunction with the Worm 43, which clutch is operated from a suitable lever 50 connected to the clutch 49 through the-medium of a link 51 and a second lever 51.

.To support the bathing suits upon the conveyer 28 each of the slats 30 is rovided at spacedI intervals with L-shape( hooks 52. These hooks are preferabl riveted to the vertical flanges of the angu ar slats, and the direction of movement o the conveyer. Conso uently, when the conveyer is moving throug the drying chamber 4 the hooks 52 are at the vlower stretch of the conveyer,V and the'bathing suits are sus ended from the hooksby suitable forms or angers, thus per-4 1 initting the air to freel circulate between the suits. By reason 4o the location of the "sprocket wheels 34 and/.35l it will be seen t iat the upper or return'stretch4 of the conveyer passes over the top of the casing 1, and consequently as the slats turn upon thel wheels 32 and rise to thewheels 34 the hooks 52 are turned in an u ward direction,

of the'conveger their position is completely reversed to t at occu led during the passage through the drying c iamber'4.A In this poe sition of the hooks it is manifest that the hangers or forms upon which the bathing suits are suspended will follow the respective `hooks to the upper or return stretch of the conveyer, but 1n passing the wheels 32 the suits old against thefslats of the conveyer andilie upon the latter' until they reach the sprocket wheels 35. At this' point theposition of the hooks 52 is again reversed, and as the suits pass over the end of the conveyer, 'or the terminal ofthe upper or return stretch thereof, the forms or hangers become automatically released from the hooks 52, and the dry suits leave the conveyer. A chute 53 is carried by the supporting frame 36. immediately beneath the terminal of the return stretch of the conveyer', and as the suits fall from the latter they are received by said chute by which they are directed into suit.

able receptacles placed'at the lower end of the chute.

4By reason, of the construction just de.- scribed it is evident that the only. attendants necessary for the successful operation ofthe machine' are those required for hanging the suits u on the hooks of the conveyer as they enter tiie drying chamber, the machine automatically handling the suits thereafter and discharging the same as described without further attendants or manual effort. l,

Suitable pipes 54 provided with sprinkler heads 55 yare arranged at different points 1n free ends of the hooks are fprojected in the and when the same reach t e upper stretch the lheating and ldrying chambers 3 and 4,`

which pipes are designed to discharge a-reextinguishing agentA in the event that fire I should occur Within the casing' 1, the sprin' kler heads 55 serving to automatically dis- 'charge the extinguishing agent in a wellknown manner when the temperature of the interior of the casing reaches the necessary degree. As a further protection the casing 1 maynalso bc lined with galvanized sheet iron or other suitable material and asbestos.

In the operation of the hereindescribed machine steam is admitted to the heating coils in the usual manner, and the motor 25 being set in operation-it will be seenthat the fans 1S cause theair to circulate from the vheating chamber 3 into and through the drying chamber 4, and back to "the heating chamber 3, a portion Vof themoist air being removed from the casing by the exhaust fanl 22.-v lhe conveyer 28 being also operated yunder the influence of the motor 25 the same passes through the drying chamber 4, the wet suits being connected to the conveyer in the manner described, and traversing the length of the drying chamber, whence theyv emerge at the rear end of the casing and-are raised by the conveyer to the to of the ma-` chine, following the conveyer. ack to the feed -encl of the machine,v at which point they are automatically, discharged from the conveyer when the terminal of the return stretch thereof is'reached, as also previously described. Y

If at any time it is desired .to stop the movement of the-conveyer Without stopping the operation of the fans, the clutch 49 is suitably manipulated to disengage `the con; veyer' from the vertical lshaft 44, and obviously the conveyer is brought to rest. The primary heating coils, being arranged 1n up'- perl and lower banks, cause the suits to be subjectedto the highest degree of heat at, the initial stagegof their transit through the drying chamber, and when the suits emerge at the rear end of the easing the same have been dried to the-necessary extent.

If desired, the casing 1-may be provided with a hood 54, Ashown by dotted lines in Fig.

-1', which hood extends from the rear end of the' machine and over the top of the casing` to point adjacent or beyond the feed end of the machine. This hood will cause any heat escaping from the rear end of the machine. at the point where the dry suits emerge, to follow the return stretch of the conveyer, and

thus subject the' suits to this heat until the suits have left the conveyer. rlhis hood is not essential, but may be employed in order to further economize in the use of the heat.

The heating chamber 3 may also be provided withA suitable openings at different points to enable access being had to the interior thereof, and the drying chamber may also be provided with longitudinally-extending supporting guides 56-for suspending the Weight of the lower stretch of the conve er as it passesthroughA the machine with the athing suits attached thereto.

-While the form of the invention herein shown and described is believed to be a preferable embodiment thereof, it 'is perfectly obvious that the same is susceptibleof v'arious changes 4in the form, proportion, and

minordetails of construction, and the right` is accordingly reserved to modify or vary the invention as falls Within the spirit'and scope by Letters Patent, is;

` upon the conveyer over the return stretch.

thereof.

- Having` thus described the invention,.Wh at is claimed as new, and desired to be secured 1. In a machine of ranged .to travel therethrough, meansfor actuating said conveyer, and means carried by the conveyer for supporting thereon the articles to be dried and to retain the articles thereof, said means serving to automatically discharge the articles from theV conveyer When the terminal of the return stretch of the conve er is reached.

2. n a machlne of the class described,- the combination With a casing, of a conveyerl arranged to travel therethrough, means for ac-A 4the conveyer is reached.

3. Ina machine of the class described, lthe combination With a casing, of. al conveyer an ranged to travel therethrough, means for actuating said conveyer, means for heating the air Within the casing, means for circulating the air 'Within' said casing, and means carried l'by' the conveyerfor supporting thereonthe l articlesto bel dried and to retain the articles upon the conveyer over the return stretch thereof, Vsaid mansserving to automatically dischargev the` articles from the conveyer When the terminal of the return stretch ofthe conve er is reached.

4. n a A,machine of the class described the combination With a' casing havingheating.

and drying` chambers,fof a conveyer arranged to travel through said drying chamber,

means for actuating said conveyer, and means. carried by the conveyer for supporting there# on the articles to .be dried and to retainlthe articles upon the conveyer over' the 'return 'stretch thereof, said means servingto automatically discharge the articles from chagrin-- veyer when the terminal of thereturn stretch ofthe conveyer is reached.

theclass described, the combination With a casing, of a conveyer arcombination With va casing having heating and drying chambers, of a conveyer arranged means carried byfthe conveyer for supporty ing thereon the articles to be dried and to retain the articles upon the conveyer over the return stretch thereof, said means serving to automatically discharge the articles from the conve er when the terminal ofthe return stretc of the conveyer is reached.

, 6. In amachine f the class described, the combination with a casing having heating and drying chambers, of a conveyer arranged to travel through said drying chamber, means for actuating said conveyer, means in the heating chamber for heating the air in its passage therethrough, means 'for circulating the air through the'heating and drying charnbers, and means carried by the conveyer for supporting thereon the articles to be dried and to retain the articles upon the conveyer ycombination with a casing having heating anddrying chambers, of a conveyer arrangedover the returnzstretch thereof, said means to travel, through said drying chamber,

lmeans for actuating said conveyer', means in the 'heating chamber for heating the air in its lpassage therethrough, a fan interposed between the heating and-drying chambers for circulating the air through said chambers, and means carried by the conveyer for supporting thereon the articles to be'dried and to retain thearticles upon the Aconveyer over the return stretch thereof, said means serving to automatically discharge the articles fromthe conveyer When the terminal of the return, stretcih of the conveyer isf 8. In a-machine of the class described, the. combination With a casing, of a slatted conveyer arranged to` travel `therethrough, means for actuatingv said 'v conveyer, and ymeans carried'by the slats of the conveyer 5means serving to automaticallydischarge the articles from the conveyer when the terminal of' the return stretch of the conveyer is reached.

9. In a machine of the class described, the

combination with a casing, of-a slatted conveyer arranged to travel therethrough, means for actuating said conveyer, and hooks carriedby the slats' of the conveyeri'or supporting thereon thearticles to be dried and f iio to retain the articles upon the conveyer over 4 the return stretch thereof, said hooks serving 5. In a machine of the class described, the

thenonvey'er when the terminal of the return stretch of the conveyer is reached.

-. 410. In a machine of the class described, the

shaped hooks carried by the slatted conveyer for supporting thereon the 4 articles to be dried and to retain the articles upon the conveyer over the return stretch thereof, said hooks serving to automatically discharge the articles from the conveyer when the terminal of the return stretch of the conveyer 'is reached.

11. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a casing, of 'a'conveyer comprising a plurality of chains arranged to travelover said casing, slats suitabl connected to said chains to be propelled y,/the latter' through said casing, means carried by the slats for supporting thereon the articles to bevdried and to retain the articles upon the slats over the return stretch of the conveyer, said means serving to automatically discharge the articles from the conveyer When lthe terminal of the return stretch of` the conveyer isvreached, and means for actuating said conveyer.

12. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a casing, of a conveyer fomprising a plurality of chains arranged to travelth rough said casing, slats suitably'connected to said chains to be propelled by the latter through said-casing, hooks carried by said slats for supporting thereon the articles to bc dried and toI retain the articles upon the slats over the return stretch of the conveyer, said hooks serving to automatically discharge the articlesfrom the conveyer When the terminal of the return stretch ofthe conveyer is reached, and means for actuating said conveyer. l

13. In a machine of the class described, the combinationwith a casing, of an endless conveyer arranged to Itravel' therethrough,

said conveyer having its lower stretch projected throughA the casing,` and its return stretch arranged at the exterior of the casing, and means carried by the conveyer for supporting thereon the articles to be dried and' to retain the articles upon the conveyer over the return stretch thereof, said means serving to automatically discharge the articles from the conveyer when the terminal of the return stretch ofthe conveyer is reached..

14. .ln a machine of theclass described; the combination with a casing having feed and exit openings in its ends, of an endless conveyer arranged to travelthrough said casing, the lower stretch -o4 said conveyer being projected through said openings, and

its return stretch arranged at the exterlor of --the casing, and means carried the con veyer for su porting thereon the articles to be dried. an 'to retain the articles upon` the conveyer ovrerithe return stretch thereof,

said means -serving to automatically discharge the artlcles from the conveyer when the terminal of the returnstretch of the conveyer is reached.

15. In a machine of the class described, the combination witha casing having feed and exit openings in its ends, of an endless conveyer arranged to travel through said casing, 'the'loWer stretchof said conveyer' being projected through'said openings, and.

its return stretch arranged at the exterior of the casing, and hooks' carried by the conveyer for supporting thereon the articles to be dried and to retain the articles upon the conveyer over the return stretch thereof,

said hooks serving to automatically discharge thearticles from theconveyer When g the terminal of the return stretch of the con# veyer is reached.

1 6. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a casing, of an endless conveyer arranged to travel therethrough', said conveyer having its lower stretch projected through the casing, and its return' stretch 'arranged at the exterior of the casing, the terminal ofthe return stretch being pro- Vjected beyond thecasing, and means carrled by the conveyer for supporting thereonl the articles to be dried'and to retain the articles upon the conveyer over the return stretch thereof, vsaid means serving to automatically dischar e the articles from ,the conveyer when t e terminal of the return stretch of the conveyer is reached.` v

17'. In a machine of the class described, p

the combination with a casing, of an endless conveyer arranged to travel therethrough,

said conveyer having its lower stretch projected through the casmg, and 1ts return ,stretch arranged at the exterior of the casing, the terminal .of the'return stretch belng pro- 'ectedjb'eyond the-c'asi11gand hooks carried y the conveyer for supporting thereonthe articles to lbe dried. and upon the conveyer over `the return stretch thereof,said hooks serving to automatically dischar e the` articles from the conveyer when, t e terminal of the return stretch oth the conveyer is reached. 18. In a machine of the classdescrrbed,

the combination With a casing, of anendless conveyer arranged to travel therethrough, said conveyer having its lower stretch projected through the casing, andit/s return stretch arranged at the exterior of the casing,

the terminal of the returnstretch being projected beyond the casing, means carried by the conveger for supporting thereon the articles to e dried and to retain the articles upon the conveyer over the return stretch thereof, said means serving to automatically dischar `e the articles from the conveyer -whent e terminal of the return stretch of thel conveyer is reached, and a chute arto retam the articles l11,0

ranged beneath the terminal of the return stretch of the conveyer for receiving the articles as the latter leave the conveyer.

19. In a machine. of the class described, the bombination with a casing, ofan endless conveyer arranged to travel therethrough,

said conveyer having its lower stretch pro-- jected through the casing, and its return v stretch arranged at the exterior of the casing,

the terminal of the return stretch. being rojectedl beyond the casing, hooks carrie by thel conveyer for .supporting thereon the articles to be dried and to retain the articles upon the conveyer over thereturn stretch thereof, said hooks serving to automatically discharge the articles from the conveyer when the terminal of the return stretch of the -f drying chamber, means carried by the conv veyer for su porting thereon the articles to be dried an to retain the articles upon the conveyer over the return stretch thereof,l

said means serving to automatically discharge v the articles from the conveyer when the terminal of the return stretch of the conveyer 1s reached, and heating coils locatedin sets havin diferent ca acitiesiof radiation, whereby t e heat to W ich the articlesv are subjected is proportioned to the"degree of moisture of the articles as the latter veyed through the machine. y

' 21. In a machi e of. the class described,l the combination with a casing having heating and dr ing chambers, of' a conve er for carrying t e l articles to be dried t rou h said drying chamber, means carried by t e conveyer for su porting thereon the articles to be dried an to retain the articles upon the conveyer over the return stretch thereof, said' means serving to automatically discharge the articles from the conveyer when the terminal of the return stretch of the conveyer is reached, heating coils located in said heating chamber and arranged in'sets having different capacities of radiation, whereby the alle C011- heat to which the articles aresubjected is proportioned to the degree of moisture of the articles as the latter' are conveyed THOMAS nLLsoP. `WAL'IER w. sIBsoN.

Witnesses: i

- Y ELMER MILLER,

VICTOR PAUL.

through the heating and drying 

